Review: Quantum Fuzz

by Jeff FoustMonday, March 27, 2017

Bring up the subject of quantum mechanics, and words like “difficult” and “counterintuitive” come to mind. The subject has notoriously baffled generations of students, whose grasp of how things work at the macro scale provides little guidance to how they work in the subatomic realm. Yet quantum mechanics is critical to our understanding of how the universe works and also benefits modern-day society.

In Quantum Fuzz, retired physicist Michael Walker offers a welcoming introduction to the field and its importance. Largely devoid of equations and technical jargon, Walker provides a historical overview of the development of quantum mechanics in the early 20th century and its application in various areas. It’s familiar territory for those who have already grappled with quantum mechanics, but useful for those who have not.

He even briefly mentions the concept of the space elevator in a discussion about carbon nanotubes, but isn’t a fan of the idea: “I don’t expect you to take this too seriously,” he notes.

Part of that is an examination of our understanding the universe. One section of the book looks at cosmology, including models of the Big Bang and how it’s influenced by quantum mechanics and conditions in the instant after the Big Bang. This is all incorporated into a single chapter in the book, running about 70 pages—far longer than other chapters in the book—yet feeling a little rushed at times as Walker tries to include everything from the cosmic microwave background to gravitational waves (which he incorrectly calls “gravity waves” in the book.)

Other sections of the book examine other, more practical, applications of quantum mechanics, from chemistry to semiconductors. He even briefly mentions the concept of the space elevator in a discussion about carbon nanotubes, but isn’t a fan of the idea: “(I don’t expect you to take this too seriously,)” he parenthetically notes before a passage about how a space elevator could work.

Quantum Fuzz is not the book you’d want to read first if you’re just looking for a discussion of astrophysics or cosmology. And the book’s style may leave something to be desired, with frequent sidebars and passages rendered in a different, smaller font for reasons not always clear. The use of a “bus tour” approach in the extended chapter on cosmology is also not particularly effective. However, for those looking for a basic introduction to quantum mechanics without detailed math or physics discussions, this book can help explain the quantum universe and its importance to actions on far larger scales.

Jeff Foust (jeff@thespacereview.com) is the editor and publisher of The Space Review, and a senior staff writer with SpaceNews. He also operates the Spacetoday.net web site. Views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author alone.